Functional cover for use with a wireless terminal

• US 20040203499A1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pedersen, Henrik, Kostiainen, Pekka, Pedersen, Kenn Berend
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts

Abstract

A wireless communication terminal has a user exchangeable covers part. The wireless communication terminal and user exchangeable cover part are electrically interconnected by means of an electrical connector. The user exchangeable cover part comprises identification means. The user exchangeable cover part has an electric circuitry for supporting a user interface of the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal identifies the user exchangeable cover part by detecting the identification means. The wireless terminal operates the electric circuitry of the user exchangeable cover part in dependence of the identification of user exchangeable cover part.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electric circuitry included in an exchangeable cover part for supporting a user interface of said wireless terminal, said wireless communication terminal and said user exchangeable cover part are electrically interconnected by means of an electrical connector, said method comprises:

identification of the type of said user exchangeable cover part; and

operating of the electric circuitry of said user exchangeable cover part in dependence of the identification of user exchangeable cover part.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connector has a plurality of pins, and at least one of said connector pins is operated in an identification state for sensing a resistor value included in the identification means, and afterwards in an operation state for operating the electric circuitry of said user exchangeable cover part.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein operation state is a frequency mode for directing an electrical representation of a ringing signal to the electric circuitry for providing an illumination effect following the ringing signal.

4. A wireless communication terminal having an user exchangeable cover part, wherein the wireless communication terminal and user exchangeable cover part are electrically interconnected by means of a electrical connector;

said user exchangeable cover part comprises identification means;

said user exchangeable cover part including an electric circuitry for supporting a user interface of said wireless terminal;

said wireless terminal identifies said user exchangeable cover part by detecting the identification means; and

said wireless terminal operates the electric circuitry of said user exchangeable cover part in dependence of the identification of user exchangeable cover part.

5. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the connector includes a plurality of connector pins arranged in line an in equal distance.

6. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the connector pins are arranged at the rear side of the cover part.

7. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the number of connector pins is three.

8. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the number of connector pins is five.

9. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said connector pins is operated in an identification state for sensing a resistor value included in the identification means, and afterwards in an operation state for operating the electric circuitry of said user exchangeable cover part.

10. A wireless communication terminal according to claim 6, wherein operation state is a frequency mode for directing an electrical representation of a ringing signal to the electric circuitry for providing an illumination effect synchronised with the ringing signal.

11. A user exchangeable cover for releasable attachment to a wireless communication terminal, said user exchangeable cover has an electrical connector part for being electrically connected the wireless communication terminal in attached position, wherein

said user exchangeable cover comprises identification means;

said user exchangeable cover includes an electric circuitry for supporting a user interface of said wireless terminal; and

said user exchangeable is adapted to allow the wireless terminal to operates the electric circuitry of said user exchangeable cover part in dependence of the identification of user exchangeable cover part.